The Long Game
by Jessesarahjane
Summary: Bella and Paul form an unlikely friendship when Bella baits him into watching her favorite TV show, Veronica Mars. This story will still make sense even if you aren't familiar with Veronica Mars and will contain spoilers for the show, but you may enjoy it more if you've seen the show. (Go forth and binge, friends! ;) ) Bella/Paul, all other pairings canon
1. Chapter 1

It was Paul's turn to take the patrol down around Forks and the Swans' house. He didn't mind it too much because Bella always left a plastic bag of treats and some clothes in bin next tucked into a hollow tree just inside the woods for whoever was on patrol. She was thoughtful like that.

When he got just outside the Swans' yard his ears pricked up at the sounds of laughter pealing from inside. He listened more carefully. It sounded like she was watching TV, which was something she didn't do very often that he'd noticed. She tended to be more of a reader. She also wasn't one for loud laughter, but it sounded like she was having trouble breathing, she was laughing so much.

Intrigued, Paul phased back to human, pulled on some clothes from the bin and headed through the yard to knock on the back door. Bella answered it with a big smile on her face. "Hey, Paul!"

Bella and Paul weren't friends. Him trying to attack her at their first meeting hadn't really gotten them off to a good start together. Adding to that was the fact that she usually hung out with Dumb and Dumber and Dumbest (otherwise known as Jacob, Embry, and Quil) who were adamantly NOT Team Paul. Still, she was always polite to him and while she didn't go out of her way to talk to him, she was kind when they did happen to speak. She had even taken to leaving food on his doorstep occasionally. Never when he was home, though. She seemed to know him well enough to know he wouldn't accept it graciously.

Paul wasn't sure just when it had happened, but sometime after they'd realized the crazy red-headed vamp was after Bella, he found himself paying attention to her a little more. Just her mannerisms and questions she asked. He just noticed things about her more. Like how she would lean into Jacob when he hugged her, but as soon as he tried to do anything else she would stiffen up and move away. Or how she genuinely liked both Emily and Sam (now that she didn't hate Sam for corrupting Jacob), but how when the two of them kissed, she would look away and hold her arms around her middle.

He noticed that she looked healthier and smiled more than she had a year ago when she and Jacob had first started hanging out, but every now and then she would still get a haunted sort of look. He knew that look. It's the look of someone who has seen too much. It seemed worse after she went to Italy with the little leech to rescue the other one. She told the wolves later that what she'd seen there made her so sick that as soon as she'd reached home, she told the vamps to move on. That she wanted no part of that life and she'd take her chances with the Italian Coven.

Paul knew that Jacob and Sam assumed she planned on being protected by the wolves, but Paul knew better. Paul recognized her as someone who had seen death and horror and felt simultaneously that while she still wanted to live, she didn't mind dying, either.

It's a tricky sort of limbo to navigate, Paul knew all too well. He used girls and drink until phasing made one of those no good and the other one even easier. He wasn't sure if Bella knew that he could see all this in her, but again, she was always kind to him despite the spiteful things he'd initially hurled at her.

"Can I get you anything?" Bella asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He was quiet for a moment while looking around the room wondering what he should say. "Sorry, Bella, you were laughing and that was so weird I had to come check it out." No. That wouldn't work. That would make her feel bad. And she had such a nice laugh. He didn't want to jeopardize hearing it again.

"Uh, could I get some milk? Please? The cookies you left outside look great, but I'd really like some milk to go with them."

Bella smiled at him with a knowing twinkle in her eye and though he suspected she knew something was up, she didn't call him on it. See? She was kind.

"Of course, Paul! In fact, here, I have some brownies I made earlier today. Why don't you eat these instead? Can you stay in here for a minute to eat or do you head back out right away?" She poured the milk in a tall glass, and placed 3 large brownies on a small plate.

"I can stay for a minute," he answered as she handed him the dishes. "What were you doing before I got here?"

"Oh, I was watching 'Veronica Mars'. My Mom and I used to watch the show, and the movie came out a couple of years ago. I just got in the mood to rewatch them all," she said, sitting with him.

"Huh," he said stuffing a brownie in his mouth and taking a drink.

"Let me guess," she smiled slyly, "you've never heard of it."

"Nope," he said.

"That is tragic!" Bella said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yeah. And yet somehow I've managed to survive all these years."

"You are missing out on some seriously good entertainment," Bella continued.

He shrugged. "What's it about?"

"The daughter of a Sheriff," she winked.

Paul rolled his eyes. "I get to watch one of those first hand. Why would I want to watch a show about it?"

She blushed. "Well, her Dad isn't actually Sheriff anymore. Now he's a Private Investigator and she helps him."

"Is it funny?" Paul asked, finally getting around to the real reason he was there.

"Very. I mean there are some really sad parts to it, too, but the dialogue is so witty that I just can't help laughing out loud in every single episode." Her eyes were bright as she talked about the show and it's the most emotion he'd ever gotten from her on his own. He found himself feeling very pleased by that.

"I have all the seasons on DVD. I'd be happy to lend them to you if you want," Bella offered shyly.

Paul felt an unfamiliar tugging around his heart when she offered to share something of hers with him. She wasn't looking at him anymore, but had her eyes cast down while she played with a loose string on the tablecloth. Paul realized she was nervous while waiting for his answer. It was just a TV show, there was nothing to be nervous about. Except she'd admitted how much she liked it and now was offering to share with him. This was unfamiliar territory for Paul. In his experience, people didn't share. Not willingly. Not without expecting something in return.

"I thought you were re-watching them," he said, not committing.

She glanced up at him, "I am, but I'll be done with the first season by the end of the week. I can drop it off to you this weekend. If you want, that is."

He looked at her again and couldn't sense any angle from her. She was for real just sharing something she liked with him. "Sure, that would be okay, I guess. I don't have anything better to do this weekend," he shrugged. "Or anyone," he leered and smiled as he watched her blush.

But then she surprised him, "Oh, please. All you have to do is go into town, flex your biceps, and look at a girl to have that problem taken care of. Although, Veronica Mars will stick with you longer than those girls, and even longer than the diseases they share with you."

It was Paul's turn to blush now. Well, almost. He didn't actually blush. "Is Quil corrupting you? Because that does not sound like the frightened little Swan Jake's been keeping tucked under his arm for the last year."

"I'm shy, Paul. Just because I don't say things, doesn't mean I don't think them," she said meeting his eyes. She looked away after a moment. "Anyway, draw me a map to your house and I'll drop the discs and necessary food off this weekend."

So, he did just that.


	2. Chapter 2

Paul thought about the their exchange a few times throughout the week, but not so much that he wasn't a little surprised to come home from patrol and find a bag on his front porch. Inside, he found a couple boxes of cereal, a gallon of milk, and then a cooler bag with all the makings for ice cream sundaes. There was also the DVD of Season 1 with a note attached to it:

 _Paul-_

 _These foods are a few necessities to have on hand while watching VM. They eat a lot during the show and it always makes ME hungry, so I can only imagine how you might feel. Here's my number in case you feel a burning need to discuss at any point. Enjoy!_

 _-Bella_

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Paul put away the food and hopped in the shower. Wrapping the towel around his waist he went back into the bedroom and tried to decide if he was going to go out again or not. He hadn't been out at all this week and usually by this time he would feel that itch under his skin. The one that only a fight and a lay had been able to soothe lately.

Bella didn't realize how right she was. Except he didn't even usually have to flex. He could just walk into a bar or club and stand there and wait for the women to come to him. It was almost too easy. Lately, he preferred them to not be talkers either. He was sick of the whole "get to know you" thing when he knew he had no intention of ever contacting the women again. It just seemed like a waste of time to talk to them. And when he realized how sleezy that made him sound, he turned and walked out of the bar one night and hadn't gone back.

He sighed and opted for a pair of sweats, then headed back to the kitchen to make a giant sundae and watch at least the first episode of this girl show since Bella had been nice enough to drop it off.

Bella's phone chirped at 1am letting her know there was a text message. She always kept her phone's volume up at night because of her Dad. He tried not to wake her when he got called out in the middle of the night, but she didn't ever not want to be available if there was some type of emergency. Cop families never stop worrying.

She snaked a hand out from under the covers and grabbed the phone to see a message from a number she didn't recognize.

 _Tell me she's gonna end up with Weevil. -P_

Bella smiled and replied.

 _Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies, vato. ;) -B_

 _What does that even mean? -P_

 _Vato? It's Mexican slang for dude, basically. -B_

 _How do you know that? -P_

 _I lived in Arizona. Plenty of Mexican slang to go around. Got some Navajo slang, too. ;) -B_

 _Any biker gang leaders there? -P_

 _Not really my scene. I was always at the library or at home. If there was an Eli Navarro at my school, he wouldn't have noticed me. -B_

 _Girls can't resist a bad boy. -P_

 _You would know. -B_

 _Damn straight. -P_

 _And yet, you're at home binging on tv instead of with one of those girls who finds you so irresistible.. -B_

 _Hey, I have to give the other guys some chances with the ladies. -P_

 _How noble of you. I'm going back to sleep now. -B_

 _Night, B. -P_

 _Night, Paul. -B_

Bella put the phone back on her night stand and giggled before rolling over to fall asleep.

"I heard Paul is going to drop out of school," Jake said to Bella as they were heading over to Sam and Emily's for dinner on Sunday.

"What?" Bella shrieked. "He can't do that! Why would he do that?"

Jacob shrugged. "He said he's sick of it. And it doesn't really matter anymore anyway. We all got behind when we first phased, but he never really caught back up."

"Does he need help? I could help him." She had opted for community college and working for a year or two to get her grades in a better place to apply for a University somewhere.

"Paul doesn't let anybody help him," Jake laughed.

"We'll see," Bella said and marched ahead to Sam's a little faster. Jacob looked after her in confusion, before quickening his own pace to catch up with her.

Paul had run patrol that afternoon and by the time he got to Sam's, everybody else was already there and eating.

Bella stood up from the couch when he walked in and grabbed a plate of food from the microwave and handed it to him.

"Thanks, Bella," Paul said when he took the offered plate. "You're always trying to stick something in my mouth these days," he said while smirking suggestively.

Paul expected the blush that swept over her. What he did not expect was when she replied, "Huh. Sounds like that line would have worked better coming from me, don't you think?"

Sam did a spit-take with his water. Jacob narrowed his eyes. Leah laughed out loud.

"You offering?" Paul leered.

"I don't like to put other people's chew toys in my mouth," she replied with a crinkle of her nose.

Paul's mouth dropped open in surprise. Now THIS Bella he liked!

"What is going on here?" a wide-eyed Seth whispered loudly to Quil who was sitting next to him watching Paul and Bella in confusion.

Paul just smiled nodded his head since his mouth was full. "I'm gonna need Season 2 by tomorrow, I think."

"Season 2 of what?" Quil asked. Everyone was eavesdropping since wolves had such sensitive hearing, but Quil was usually the only one who acknowledged it.

"Veronica Mars."

"Paul's is watching Veronica Mars?" Leah chortled.

Paul felt his hackles rise. Why did she have to tell them? Didn't Bella know that watching such a girl show could ruin his reputation?

"It's one of my favorite shows," Bella explained. "He stopped by the other day while I was watching it and I basically bullied him into it."

Bella turned and winked quickly at Paul who relaxed a little. She was covering for him. Damn. This day was getting more and more interesting. Bella Swan was a lot more than he'd ever given her credit for.

"Bella bullied _you_?" Embry asked, clearly skeptical.

"There were brownies involved," Bella replied.

"Oh…", came an understanding chorus of wolves. Bella bribing and bullying wolves with food was completely understandable. They were suckers for food and would do all manner of stupid things to get her baked goods.

The subject was dropped as Sam started going over patrol schedules for the week.

It wasn't until later that night as she was finishing up her homework that Bella's phone buzzed with a text.

 _Thanks for covering for me this afternoon. You saved me from having to beat a lot of people up. -P_

 _I just didn't want anything to happen to your bad boy image. Where would all the girls go if that was ruined? -B_

 _I guess wherever they've been going for the last two weeks. -P_

 _Two weeks with no carousing? Are you okay? ;) -B_

 _I'm more than okay, baby. Want me to prove it? -P_

 _Um. Ew. -B_

 _Your loss. -P_

 _How ever will I manage? -B_

 _I can give you some ideas… -P_

 _No, thanks. I can manage on my own. -B_

 _! Hot! - P_

 _Ugh. -B_

 _Srsly, I need season 2. WHO WAS AT THE DOOR? It was Weevil, wasn't it? -P_

 _I will give you one episode for every night you come over and study and do homework. -B_

 _Are you that desperate to get me in your house? -P_

 _You found me out. -B_

 _Why studying? -P_

 _Because you're smart and dropping out is a colossal waste. Not to mention a bad example for the younger wolves who look up to you. -B_

 _They don't look up to me. -P_

 _Of course they do. They see you as a tough leader, awesome fighter, and good with the ladies. What more does a barely adolescent male wolf want in life? -B_

 _Stop. I'm blushing. -P_

 _Now THAT I would pay to see! -B_

 _It'll cost you an episode. ;) -P_

 _No deal. Bring your books and your current grades over to my place tomorrow night. I'll have dinner here for you. I'm off work at 6:30. -B_

 _I have to patrol. -P_

 _I'll call Sam and deal with it. -B_

 _Sam won't change patrol just because you say so! -P_

 _Wanna bet? ;) -B_

 _He has Emily for brownies and sexual favors! What can you offer him? -P_

 _I can't reveal all my secrets, wolf. -B_

Paul was beginning to feel like he'd entered some kind of alternate universe. Since when was Bella Swan funny? And snarky? And mysterious? Then again maybe she'd always been this way and Paul had just never noticed because she was so quiet. It explained while the rest of the pack liked hanging out with her so much. And why Jacob Black had been so infatuated with her for so long. Granted, when Black replayed thoughts of Bella in his head it was always the ones with her being sweet, not sassy.

Bella smiled as she called Sam. If Paul had paid attention, he would know that Sam thought of Bella as a little sister. Ever since finding her in the woods after Edward left, he'd been very protective of her. But he was protective from afar. Still, Bella knew he'd go along with this.

"Hi, Bella, is everything okay?" came Sam's worried voice when he answered the phone.

"I'm fine, Sam, but I need to ask if you can switch the schedule around a little this week so I can tutor Paul."

Sam blinked a few times and tried to process what she'd said.

"You're tutoring _Paul_? How did that happen?"

"He needs to graduate. I told him he needed to be a good example to the younger wolves who looked up to him."

"What else aren't you telling me Bella?" Sam growled. He'd told that to Paul hundreds of times and it didn't make a damn bit of difference.

"Okay, I also bribed him with promises of nightly dinners and tv viewing on Charlie's big screen."

That made more sense to Sam. Paul lived alone, so spending time at the Swans' made sense.

"Will Charlie be there to supervise?"

"Sam!" Bella gasped. "You can't seriously think that Paul Lahote would try anything with me! I'm the "stupid paleface", "leech lover", "bloodsucker's bitch", and so many other lovely epithets. I think it's safe to say that my virtue is safe in the presence of Paul."

Sam growled. He hated when Paul called her names. She was so fragile and Sam could see that his words hurt. The worst part was that Bella believed some of them. She must because she didn't fight back. She just took the insults, and offered Paul brownies, like she deserved his insults. And Paul having no shame, would take the dessert without thanking her and keep smirking. Granted, she had all the other wolves on her side, so maybe that lessened the sting of what he said.

"Why are you being nice to him, Bella? He's horrible to you," Sam asked.

"Because everybody has given up on Paul. He's smart, and talented, and strong, and loyal, but he's so terrible to everyone, so the world just ignores all of the other things and writes it off as Paul being Paul."

Sam was surprised at the feeling behind Bella's words. "And you're the person who's going to fix him?"

"Only he can fix him. I'm just the person who is going to remind him that he's more than a womanizing jerk," Bella answered.

"Be careful, Bella," Sam warned.

"I will, Sammy. I promise. Thanks for worrying about me, you big marshmallow."

"Hey!" he whined at her.

"So, let's work out a schedule," Bella reminded Sam.

 _You have patrol from 3pm-6pm every day this week. I'll expect you to my house no later than 7pm. -B_

 _Bossy women make me hot. -P_

 _You are a teenage boy. Linoleum probably makes you hot. -B_

 _So how long do we have to study tomorrow before I get to watch an episode? -P_

 _You have to finish all of your homework. I need you to ask your teachers tomorrow for a list of any missing assignments. -B_

 _Since when are you a teacher? -P_

 _I had to make a lot of stuff up last year after I went through vamp withdrawal/depression. I know how to do this. -B_

 _Fine. But only because I have to know who was at the door at the end of the first season of VM. -P_

 _You'll find out. Many things are revealed in first episode of the second season. -B_

 _You know I could just go rent it, right? -P_

 _Are movie rental places still a thing? -B_

 _It's probably on Netflix. -P_

 _You have no internet at your house. -B_

 _Do you have my place bugged? -P_

 _No need. I just pay attention. -B_

 _Creepy stalker. -P_

 _Yup. That's me. -B_

 _Night, Swan. -P_

 _Night, Paul. -B_


	3. Chapter 3

"It's Logan?"

"Shhh," Bella told Paul. "A lot happens in this episode. You need to be quiet."

"But he's been terrible to her!"

"Do I need to turn this off, or can you control yourself?" Bella asked, pausing the show.

"Everything all right in here?" Charlie Swan asked coming in from the kitchen with a beer in his hand.

"Yeah, Dad. We're fine. Did you want to stay and watch?" she asked.

"No, thanks, sweetie. Once was enough for me. Although, that Keith Mars character is okay. And I kinda get what he was saying about 'smartening' up the criminal element now," Charlie joked.

"Dad!" Bella joked, throwing a pillow at him, while Paul scowled. "There's no criminal element here. Nobody in this room has been picked up on any charges, including fighting, in the last year."

"You're absolutely right, Bella. Keep up the good work, Paul," Charlie said as he headed for the stairs.

"He doesn't really think of you as a criminal, you know," she said to Paul's scowling face.

"I am what I am, B. Leopards, spots, you know what they say," Paul said sarcastically quoting Weevil.

Bella put down the remote and turned on the couch to face Paul. Paul did not expect her to grab his face with both of her delicate hands and pull him around to look in her eyes. "I adore Weevil, seriously. In my perfect world, they would be together. But you are over-identifying with him, Paul. You are not that guy."

"You mean the guy who runs with a gang? Or the guy who gets in fights all the time? Or the guy who sleeps with rich, blonde girls? Or the guy who is smart but sucks at school? Or the poor, brown guy from the wrong side of town? I'm not _that_ guy?" He was angry. Bella wanted to kill her Dad for his little comment. She knew he'd only been sort of joking, but he'd hurt Paul's feelings.

"You run with a pack that protects people, without stealing car parts. You do fight too much, but not as much as you used to. I don't know about the blonde thing, but I'm pretty sure you never had your heart broken by any of them. The color of your skin is beautiful and your side of town is my favorite place to be. I wish I actually belonged to a community that took care of one another the way you all do."

Bella smiled softly as the angry look left Paul's eyes and was replaced by confusion. She seemed to all of a sudden realize where her hands were and quickly pulled them away from Paul's face. Paul felt a rush of heat as her thumbs brushed down his cheekbones when she pulled away and turned to face the tv again. He didn't know what to do with that. Bella wasn't like any of the girls he hung out with.

"Will you promise to behave when I turn the show back on?" Bella asked, holding the remote again.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Fine."

"I can't believe you're not going to let us watch another episode!" he grouched when it was over.

"We'll watch another one tomorrow after you study and do homework."

"You know I outweigh you by at least a hundred pounds of muscle, right?"

"I do. But I also know that you wouldn't ever hurt me. And it would require torture to get me to give up the disc," she said, sliding the case under her shirt.

"Please. I can charm the pants off any female. You think I can't convince you to let me put my hand under your shirt?," he said moving in a predatory, and Bella had to admit, sexy way towards her.

"I'm sure you could," she said, gulping a little. "But I'm also sure you won't. And if I thought you really would do something like that against my will, not only would you not be here, but my well-armed father would be in the process of flicking the safety off of any one of his guns and pointing it straight at your crotch."

Paul stopped. It was weird knowing that she trusted him that much. Maybe whining would work. "Damn, Swan. C'mon, one more episode, please?"

"No. And it's time to go. You have school early tomorrow. But I'll see you tomorrow night," Bella said while pushing him back into the kitchen to gather his books.

It was just a stupid tv show Paul thought when his alarm went off early the next morning. He didn't need to do any of it. School. Studying. What was the point? He was never going to leave the reservation, anyway. It's not like he had money for college or trade school. He didn't have parents who cared. Paul's stomach growled, which caused him to finally roll out of bed and into the kitchen where he found almost nothing to eat. He hated shopping. And cooking. Bella would feed him, though.

He growled at her having beaten him and convincing him to go to school without even knowing that he was mentally arguing with her. He went off to get ready for school and hopefully get there in time for the free breakfast. He supposed the free meals were one more okay thing about staying in school, and then wondered what Bella would make for dinner tonight.

And so that's how the weeks went. Delicious homemade dinners with always enough leftovers for Paul to take some home. Bella insisted that she and Charlie would never be able to eat it all and that Paul taking it would save them from throwing it out later.

Paul was slowly catching up in all of his classes. And his grades were steadily improving. After they spent an hour or more doing homework and studying each night, Bella would walk over to the DVD player and cue up the next episode. Then she and Paul would sit on the couch and watch.

"She's with Duncan? Tell me she's not gonna end up with that guy! He broke up with her, then slept with her, then treated her like she didn't exist, THEN started liking her again when he thought she might be his sister! What kind of guy does that sh- stuff?" Paul looked quickly around to make sure Charlie hadn't heard his almost slip with an expletive.

Bella paused it again. "It's hard to forget your first love. And I think that as much as she's changed, being with Duncan reminds her of how it felt to be safe before everything she knew changed.

Paul harrumphed. "Safer than with Logan, anyway."

Bella just smiled the smile that annoyed Paul, because she knew everything that was going to happen and he didn't.

"Stop that," he grouched.

"Stop what?" she asked, barely pretending to not know exactly what he was asking.

Paul growled his lupine growl at her and moved towards her only to be bopped on the nose with her cool hand. "Bad doggie," she said. And then pointed the remote at the tv and pressed play.


	4. Chapter 4

Paul was getting a little obsessed with the tv show. Every night he begged for one more episode. And every night Bella promised him another when he came over the next day. The show would end, she'd go into the kitchen to get his leftovers from the fridge and he'd grab his books.

He would eat the free breakfast and lunch that the school provided all the kids of a certain income, but the leftovers he would save for right after school before he patrolled. Getting home and pulling out those leftovers was something he started looking forward to each day. Just like he looked forward to dinner at the Swans. As he quickly devoured the food, he often found himself thinking of the evening before. Something Bella had done, or her still surprisingly cutting verbal banter with him. Whoda thunk that he and Swan would become friends.

He guessed that was the word for it. He'd never really had friends who were girls before. But he liked all of Bella. That was a new thing for him. With most girls, he didn't really pay attention beyond what they looked like. With Emily and Kim, they were more like family...but not family that he felt like he needed to get to know. Leah was just one of the guys. But Bella was in a whole different category.

"Ha! Weevil is the only one who has ever out-maneuvered Veronica! That was awesome!" he crowed after watching the Winter Carnival episode.

"Well, Mac kinda did, too, when we first met her. Mac totally threw her off the trail of that horrible web site by reminding her how crappy her car was. And then she has a shiny new car at the end of the show."

"Fine, so Mac and Weevil have both out-maneuvered her. But Weevil made her feel guilty about suspecting him WHILE he was out-maneuvering her!"

"It is one of my favorite episodes. For that, and she and Jackie get to be friends. Even though they haven't felt very friendly towards one another before," Bella said while looking directly at Paul. "It's nice to think that two people who got off to such a rocky beginning could get past it."

Paul stared back at her for just a minute before looking away. Was she trying to tell him something? Was she just talking about the show? Before he could wonder about it much longer, Bella stood up to go to the kitchen as per their usual routine. Paul followed her in and collected his books while she got his leftovers from the fridge.

Paul noticed that she was even quieter than usual and wondered if he'd done something to upset her. "Bella?"

She turned and handed him the food without looking at him, and whispered, "Yeah?"

"Um- I- just- I really appreciate all this. Everything you're doing for me, I mean," Paul stammered. He wasn't used to not having the words. He wasn't used to speaking from the heart either. He was usually just about the bluster. "Being here- being here is my favorite part of every day," he said in a rush before he lost his nerve.

Bella peeked up at him as if to see if he was being genuine. A warmth had flooded through her at his words. "Mine, too," she whispered.

Paul wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but at some point Charlie seemed to like having him around, too. And even though fathers and police were neither of his favorite types of people, he found himself happy, even looking forward to dinner conversation with the Chief of police. He liked getting slapped on the arm and called "son" by Charlie Swan. He also noticed that where Charlie had once regarded him with suspicion, especially around Bella, he seemed to look at him with-respect, maybe? Paul wasn't sure what it was, but it was clear that the chief wasn't thinking of Paul as the brown guy who got picked up for public brawling one too many times as a kid.

He knew for sure that Charlie trusted him when one night, while Bella and Paul were working on their respective essays, the Chief came quickly down the stairs looking nervous.

"Hey, kids, I just got called out. Bella, I need you to stay in the house. Lock up after me, okay?"

"Sure, Dad," she answered, but worried, "What's going on?"

"Gunshots reported. Someone is down. I'm not sure of anything yet. So, stay in the house!"

Charlie grabbed his gun belt and attached everything to it as he headed for the door. Paul got up to follow, and called to Bella, "I'll lock the front door after your Dad goes out."

As soon as they were out of sight of the kitchen, Charlie put a hand on Paul's arm. "Look, Paul, I would feel better if you could stay here with Bella until I get home or at least until I know what's going on out there. Can you do that without Bella realizing that I'm asking you to be her bodyguard? You know how pissed she gets when she thinks I'm being overprotective."

Paul nodded seriously. If only the chief knew how protected she always was. "Of course I'll stay," he promised Chief Swan who nodded his thanks to him and stepped out the front door.

Paul flipped the lock and the deadbolt behind him before returning to the kitchen.

Bella smiled at him when he walked in. "I always think it's adorable when Dad asks me to lock the doors. As if the things that go bump in the night will be slowed down by a door," she snorted and bent back over the paper she was still editing.

She was so tiny, Paul observed. It was easy to forget that she'd survived two vampire attacks, was being hunted by a third vampire, had punched a werewolf, AND been bitten by a vamp. She was way more badass than he'd ever given her sufficient credit for.

"Your Dad asked if I could stay until he gets back."

"Oh!" Bella looked surprised, then blushed. "You don't have to go to any trouble, Paul. It's bad enough you guys have to run patrols down here. You don't need to-"

"I promised your Dad already, Bella. But if you're feeling guilty, we could stay up and watch extra episodes until he gets home," he leaned in waggling his eyebrows and wearing a grin that usually got him whatever he wanted from women.

Bella was not most women. She held her ground even as Paul got closer to her, and then completely freaked him out as she took a sharp, quick breath in, grabbed on to his t-shirt and pulled him closer so they were nose to nose. She leaned forward to whisper in his ear a little sing-songy, "Oh, Paul!"

He did not know what the hell was going on right now, but what he did know was that Bella had hauled him closer when he'd been trying to use his smolder on her. As she whispered his name, he could feel her breath on his neck and dammit if he didn't have a physical reaction to it all! He quickly slipped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, standing up briefly, then sitting back down in the other chair with her now sitting in his lap. She squeaked at the suddenness of finding herself there.

"Yes, Bella?" he answered, smirking as she wiggled in his lap trying to get out. He neither helped her nor hindered her progress and tried to look very innocent in the process. She finally stopped wiggling and narrowed her eyes at him, before snaking her arms back around his neck, on to his shoulder and using him for leverage.

She didn't fall when she finally made it off his lap. Bella was most grateful for that. She tugged at her shirt to straighten it, and tossed her long hair over her shoulder before she huffed at him, "Get your paper finished. Then we can watch. We both still have school tomorrow, though, so we're not staying up too late!"

"Yes, Ma'am," Paul snarkily saluted her. She rolled her eyes at him and sat back down in her chair to finish her essay.

"They arrested him before he got to walk across the stage?" Paul yelled. "I HATE that guy!"

Bella paused the show and looked at Paul. "We can start it again when you're done throwing a tantrum."

"Press the damn button, Bella," he grouched and slumped back onto the couch.

"Only if you're sure you can behave yourself," she smiled a syrupy smile.

"Is Veronica going to be able to get him out of this?" Paul asked.

"I'll tell you what. After this episode, I'm going to go get ready for bed. I'll grab us pillows and blankets and we can watch one or MAYBE two episodes from Season 3. But only if you promise that you'll go to sleep here by midnight."

"Fine," he huffed. He wouldn't admit that he kind of liked the idea of camping out down here on the couch with her.

"Why is she back with Logan AGAIN!" Paul complained, sitting up as the first episode of Season 3 started.

Bella was in her comfy flannel sleep pants, one of Jake's old, ratty sweatshirts, and some fuzzy socks and was huddled beneath a mountain of blankets. Paul was in no way going to get the wrong idea of what was going on here. Her outfit practically screamed "Don't even think about touching me."

Bella paused the show again. "Paul, what is it you hate so much about Logan?"

"Are you kidding?"

"He has a terrible temper. He treated her badly. He gets mad when she is who she is. And his whole family was completely screwed up! What if he starts hurting her, too? Not to mention he was responsible for her getting raped!"

"So, you don't think people can be different than their parents?" she asked, with an eyebrow arched up.

Paul was about to answer when he realized what she was doing. He narrowed his eyes at her and she burst into a knowing grin. He knew people could be different than their parents. He was proof of that, wasn't he? Well, sort of. If he hadn't turned into a wolf, maybe he'd turn into a strung out druggie murderer, too. He was quick enough with his temper and his fists for either, but the wolf thing meant having Sam and Jared and the Elders always watching him and being in his head. It was a lot harder to go down that road when there was a constant parade of people checking up on him, or ordering him to calm down. Could a person change the course of their life without supernatural intervention?

Paul looked over at Bella all huddled in her nest of blankets. She had. Jake had helped coax her back into the world of the living before he became a wolf. Was it love that changed a person for the better?

Paul wrinkled his nose. He sounded like a stupid teenage girl spouting on about love conquering all. Bullshit. Love seemed to get more people INTO trouble than out of it. Like his Mom. By all accounts, she'd been okay until she met his Dad. His Dad kept his vices close, but still functioned. His Mom, once she got introduced to drugs and alcohol, couldn't control it and wasn't there to protect him when he needed it from his Dad.

"Paul?" Bella laid a cool hand on Paul's trembling arm. He looked up and realized she'd paused the show again. "Hey, are you okay? You're- um, shaking a little. Do you need to go phase?"

She was concerned about him, not worried for her own safety. Just like the day they'd first met. Then she hadn't been worried for herself. Just about Jake.

"Why don't you care if you get hurt?" he blurted out.

She quickly pulled her hand away and huddled back into the blankets.

"I don't like getting hurt," she mumbled. "I'm against pain, in fact."

"Then why are you constantly putting yourself in danger, Bella?"

"What are you talking about, Paul?" she sounded exasperated now. "I was just sitting here watching a show. How is that dangerous?"

"Because you're with me! I'M dangerous, Bella! I was sitting here shaking because I was getting furious enough to phase. It could have happened right here. There's a reason I hardly have any furniture at my house now," he added darkly.

Bella had studied actual wolf behavior when she first found out about the pack. As a result, she often used her acquired knowledge in dealing with them. If Paul had been only human, Bella might have stood in front of him where he sat on the couch to talk to him. But she needed to keep him calm, so she needed to not show herself as a threat to his wolf. That meant staying lower than him. And quiet. And not holding his gaze.

She slowly untangled herself from her blanket and slid across the couch towards Paul. She glanced at his still trembling form, but not at his eyes. She hoped she was doing the right thing and that Paul's wolf would respond more than Paul the human. Because as a human, this was a little weird. She reached him, laid herself across his lap, and moved her hair over her shoulder to bare her neck to him.

He growled, but stopped trembling, and Bella gasped as he swept her up into his arms and nipped her bared neck. She remained limp in his arms, but he let her scent and her presence calm him. When Bella felt his breathing relax and was pretty sure he was feeling more in control, she slipped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Better?" she whispered.

He couldn't speak yet. She'd just done it again. Put herself in danger to help someone else. Didn't she have any instinct for self-preservation?

"Why did you-" he tried to ask.

"Sometimes I know what people need. And if I can be the one to help, why shouldn't I? Besides, Paul. I trust you," she said quietly, still resting quietly against his chest where he was clinging to her. He squeezed her just a little tighter for a minute then loosened his grip a bit, but not enough that she thought he wanted her to move yet. Instead, he reached to the other end of the couch to grab the remote and her blanket. He started the show again and tucked the blanket around her while rearranging them both so she could stay in his arms and still see the TV.

Charlie came home around 4 AM to find his daughter sound asleep on the couch and Paul asleep on the floor next to her. Paul sat up out of his sleep. "Chief?" he said blearily.

"Go back to sleep, son. Thanks for staying," Charlie said quietly. Paul nodded and laid back down, rolling over to his side and pulling a sheet up over him.

Charlie smiled as he headed up the stairs to his own bed. If anyone had told him a couple of years ago that not only would his daughter be living with him after a 16 year absence, but that Paul Lahote would have become one of her most loyal friends, he would have asked what they were smoking. And yet Charlie was certainly grateful for the turn his life had taken. Even if he'd first had to put up with that stupid Cullen kid. Charlie couldn't be more grateful that he was gone.

He thought it was funny that these two kids seemed to be forming their friendship over homework, food, and a tv show. But he supposed there were stranger ways to become friends. The guys up at the rez seemed to be better friends to Bella than most of the Forks kids. Hanging out with the Cullens hadn't seem to have won her any bosom pals at school. Now that she'd graduated, he supposed it didn't really matter. He was just glad she was still here with him. He'd missed so many years. When Bella had invited him to sit and watch that Veronica Mars show with him while she was in the throes of depression after Edward left her in the woods, Charlie recognized it as her throwing out a lifeline. Maybe not a lifeline TO him, but her saying "come and share something with me". It was something that they had bonded over, too.

He liked that she enjoyed a show where the father and daughter shared such a strong bond and the mother was a little less dependable. He liked that the show's main character was strong despite all the horrible things that had happened to her. Charlie wished that Bella would tell him all the horrible things that she had gone through, but he didn't know how to ask without her shutting down more. And she didn't volunteer. After the episode where Veronica and her father have to testify and he learns some things about her that shock them, Charlie had haltingly said, "Bells, honey, I will love you no matter what. And any time you need to talk to me about anything, I'm here." His heart had broken a little bit as her eyes filled with tears and she nodded. Neither one of them said anything else until she got ready for bed that night. She finished washing the dishes, then hugged him and said, "I love you, Daddy," and rushed up the stairs before he could say anything back.

Charlie was glad that she's begun to surround herself in the last year with the children of his best friends, so he felt like he had a little more knowledge of where she was and what she was up to. And while Paul Lahote would never have topped his list of potential boyfriends for his daughter, he was beginning to trust his Bella's instincts on this one. They were both moving so slowly, Charlie wasn't even sure either one of them realized how much they cared about one another. Of course, he was just a 40 year old single Dad, so what did he know?

Charlie climbed into bed and as he turned out the light, he heard Bells cry out in her sleep. Those damn nightmares still hadn't quit. They didn't happen as often now, though. He was about to get up, but he heard Paul's voice murmuring to her and she quieted almost immediately. Charlie wasn't even sure if she'd woken up, but there was nothing but silence from downstairs, and Charlie trusted Paul to not take advantage of his daughter especially in that situation. Wiith his daughter's welfare assured for the moment, Charlie Swan fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Bella's alarm went off way too early for anyone's liking. Paul groaned loudly. Bella wasn't crazy about mornings either, but seeing somebody else even more miserable brightened her mood. "Morning, sleepy-head!" she said to the enormous man on the floor next to her. He growled and rolled over.

"Paul, c'mon, you have school. Get up. I'll make you some breakfast really quick and then take you."

He mumbled something as she went into the kitchen to quickly scramble some eggs and make some toast for her sleepy friend.

She put everything in a container, grabbed a fork, and filled a thermos with hot chocolate before wandering back into the living room where she found Paul still face down on the carpet. "Paul, I'm trying to decide between jumping on you, or giving you a wet willy to get you to wake up."

Paul growled some more. Bella snuck over to the couch and laid down. Paul wondered what she was doing. Maybe she was going back to sleep, too. "Paaaauuuul," she said in a creepy sing-song voice again.

And then suddenly she was on him. She had rolled over off the couch and directly onto his back. She knew it wouldn't hurt him, but it would startle him hopefully enough to wake up.

"Ugh, Swan!" He did a push up to his knees and then stood up with her still clinging on to his back. "If you wanted to ride me that badly, Bella, all you had to do was ask," he grumped as he headed towards the bathroom. She quickly slid off of his back.

"Ah, and there's the Paul everyone knows! My day's barely started but already I've been able to enjoy some of your charming innuendo. I'm going out to start the truck. Your food is on the counter. Bring it with you so you can get to school on time!"

They stopped quickly at his house so he could change and brush his teeth and then she took him the rest of the way to school. When she pulled up to the school, Jacob's face lit up with a smile. "Bells!" he yelled and ran over to the truck where he pulled her out for a big hug.

"Hey, Jake!" she said, squeezing her friend back.

Paul harrumphed at the sight and suddenly felt ugly inside. "Let me know if you get cold tonight, Bella. I can always come over again to keep you warm," he leered.

By this time, the rest of the pack had joined Jacob on the driver's side of the truck around Bella. Almost in unison they growled at Paul. "What's he talking about, honey?" Jake said, keeping her wrapped in his arms.

She squirmed out. "My Dad asked Paul to stay last night when he got called out. As for the rest of it, Paul is being a jerk this morning. I had a nightmare that woke him up, so I'm sure he's just grouchy from being short on sleep."

"Are you okay, Bells?" Embry asked softly. She smiled and nodded. "It happens when I get cold. Coldness reminds me of… Well, when I kick of the covers I get nightmares. I'm fine, though. As soon as I warm up, I feel better and can fall asleep again. It's a lot better than it used to be, but I fell asleep on the couch last night, and it's colder down there than in my room."

Paul felt guilty and a little ashamed. He was jealous of her hugging Jacob when it had been his arms she'd been in for hours last night and he was the one who comforted her after her nightmare. But then she just flew into Jacob's arms as soon as he was in sight. Okay, so she hugged all the guys who were there. And why should he care anyway. It's not like she was his. They were just friends. Or something. He still didn't know how to be friends with a girl, so he was just guessing on this one. But after his dick move of two minutes ago, she probably wouldn't want him around.

The warning bell rang and all the wolves moved towards the door. "Have a good day, Paul. I'll see you tonight." He was left speechless as she jumped back in her old truck and headed back down the road to get ready for her own day of classes.

She just kept surprising him.

 _Do you hate me? -P_

 _No. -B_

 _Why not? -P_

 _Aren't you supposed to be in class right now? -B_

 _It's lunch. Answer the question. -P_

 _Because as much as you try to disprove it, the good outweighs the bad. -B_

 _I'm sorry. -P_

 _About what? -B_

 _you know what. -P_

 _Doesn't count if you don't say it. -B_

 _I'm sorry I acted like a jealous bastard today and tried to make you sound like a floozy. -P_

 _Floozy? -B_

 _Whore? Tramp? Want me to get out my thesaurus? -P_

 _No. But I like that you know what a thesaurus is and how to use it. -B_

 _Why did you act jealous? -B_

 _Because I was. -P_

 _Why? -B_

 _Because sometimes it feels like you like me best. -P_

 _And it didn't feel like that this morning? -B_

 _Not when you jumped into Jake's arms. -P_

 _Jake is like a hot cousin. -B_

 _Does that mean you're going to take him to prom? ;) -P_

 _Always with Weevil's lines. ;) -B_

 _No. It means I love Jake. I trust Jake. I will never be able to repay everything he's done for me. But I will never be in love with Jake. -B_

 _Does he know that? -P_

 _Yes. -B_

 _So you do like me best? -P_

 _Stop fishing for compliments. -B_

 _Are you too shy to admit you like me best? -P_

 _I'll see you tonight. I have bio now. -B_

 _Coward. -P_

They didn't finish their conversation that night, because when Paul arrived Bella was on the phone. She was pale and shaking like a leaf. He took one look at her and rushed over to listen in.

Leech. A girl. Cullen.

"Bella, are you still there?" the voice asked.

Bella leaned heavily on Paul. She was shaking badly now and she felt so cold. He wrapped himself around her as much as he could without laying took a deep breath in as she pressed her face into his chest.

"Yes, Alice, I'm here. Are you sure about the timing?"

"As sure as I can be. You know it all depends on people changing their minds. But she's bringing an army of newborns, Bella. We have to get you away."

"I can't leave here, Alice. What about Charlie? And what about everyone in Forks and La Push? It's not like an army of vampires will care about killing other people to get to me. I can't let that happen."

"Bella! Be reasonable!"

"Alice, no! I won't let everyone be slaughtered because of me! What happens if I decide to surrender to her?"

"No!" Both Alice and Paul shouted at once.

"Bella, who's there with you?" Alice demanded.

Bella looked up at Paul's eyes. He reached for the phone with a questioning look. She nodded and handed it to him.

"This is Paul Lahote of the La Push pack," Paul growled in a deep and authoritative voice.

"The La Push Pack?" Alice asked. "You mean the wolves are back? And Bella is around you all?"

"Please direct any further communication to our Alpha, Samuel Uley. Have your leader call him. He won't want to work with anyone but the original signatory to the treaty. His number is xxx-xxx-xxxx."

"Fine. I'll give Carlisle the message. I wasn't here when the treaty was signed. Can I talk to Bella again?" Alice asked forcefully.

Paul put his hand over the phone. "Do you want to speak with her again, or wait until after the leaders have talked?"

Bella took a deep breath and took the phone. "Alice, I will talk to you after Carlisle and Sam have a conversation. I don't want to step on the toes of the people who have been protecting me for the last year and a half."

"Bella, they're not people! They're animals! You're not safe around them!," Alice shouted.

"How dare you, Alice?" Bella said savagely. "They're not the ones who have to fight against their own nature every minute of every day to not suck me dry. They don't attack when I get a cut!"

Bella seemed to calm down. "Alice. I don't blame Jasper for that. He is what he is. I like him. I like... no. I _loved_ all of you. But everything about my life is better now. Healthier. I'm healthier for being with the wolves. As weird as it sounds, they've reminded me what it is to be human. They've taken excellent care of me and have kept Victoria away from me for all these months. So don't ever say that I'm not safe with them."

"You're different, Bella," Alice said thoughtfully.

Bella laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah. I am." She looked into Paul's eyes. "I'll talk to you later, Alice."

Bella hung up the phone and whispered a quiet "Thanks" to Paul.

He pulled her back into his arms because she was shaking again. "I need to call Sam, but we need to get you warm. You're scaring me a little right now, Bella."

Paul effortlessly scooped her up and strode back into the couch where last night's blankets were still folded up. He sat down, grabbed a quilt and for the 2nd time in 24 hours tucked it in around her while pulling her into him. He ran his large, hot hands all over her back trying to use friction to help in the warming process.

"Did you mean what you said to the leech?" Paul asked. She was a hell of a lot healthier than she'd been when they'd been sent out to the forest to find her a year ago. And she wasn't as pale or flinchy as she was right after they left. But he'd never heard her say that she was healthier because of them.

"Which thing?" she said got out through chattering teeth. She hated being cold like this. She hated that her stupid body did this.

"That you're healthier. More human."

"Oh," Bella said. "Of course. You didn't really know me then. Like when I was with Edward. And right after. But I was this shadow. I practically ran the house for my Mom growing up. I was the grown up most of the time. And then I came here and Charlie had been a bachelor for so long HE didn't need me."

"You like to help people," he said. Yeah. She liked to help. That's what he was, too. Just another project. Someone for her to help. His mind was starting to go back to dark places when he smelled her tears. "Hey!" he crooned. "Hey, it's okay. I've got you, Bella. Shhh."

He was rocking her. Bella melted into him. Nuzzled her face into his chest and gripped on to the front of his t-shirt. Being with Paul like this felt so right. She wished she could touch him whenever she wanted and it didn't require a crisis. "The Cullens just started making decisions for me. About me. And I let them. It was so much easier for a time. But all of their decisions hurt people. Including me."

Paul was noticing how good she smelled. His nose was practically buried on top of her head and he rocked, and crooned, and inhaled, and then...kissed. Just a soft, caring kiss on top of her head.

Bella sighed and lifted her head back with a small smile. Paul tentatively brushed her hair off her forehead and placed slow kisses along her hairline. Forehead kisses were innocent, right? He'd never kissed in a caring or tender way, so this was new territory for him. He heard her heart start racing. "Are you okay?" he whispered, hoarsely.

Bella burst into a huge grin. "You know, you'd think the knowledge that there's a vampire army coming and a family of vampires, including my uber moody and undead ex, are about to come back to town would be more distressing. Right? But I am having a hard time thinking about that right now."

Paul was a little confused, until Bella threw her arms around him in a hug. "I love you, Paul." She gave both of his cheeks a smacking kiss, bit his chin, and climbed out of his lap. "C'mon, let's get up to Sam's. But bring your books, just in case. We'll study on the rez if there's down time."

Now Paul was a lot confused. She'd said she loved him. But then she jumped off of him. Okay. First she'd hugged and kissed him. THEN she'd jumped off of him. Paul was uncomfortable not knowing where he stood with a female.

She went into the kitchen to put her books in her backpack. "I need to leave a note for Charlie," she mumbled while tearing out a piece of notebook paper and grabbing a pencil.

"Just text him like a normal person," Paul said coming in from the living room.

"Oh, I will," Bella said, "But I always leave him a note if I won't be here when he gets home."

Paul watched as she wrote, "Love you, Dad" on the notebook paper and tacked it above the small table by the phone. It made something in Paul's chest clench. Nobody had ever written him a note like that. He'd heard the words "I love you" a few times from very drunk girls, but he knew they didn't mean anything to them or him. But Bella had just said it, too, hadn't she. And what the hell did that mean?

Bella turned around and seeing his face, misinterpreted the look there. "I have a lot to make up for with Charlie. I was horrible to him when the Cullens were part of my life. I always justified it to myself as for his own good. But that's bull. I did it because I wanted what I wanted...which was actually whatever Edward wanted. So I try to atone for it every day. I know Charlie loves me no matter what, but I want to be worthy of his love. So, even though I can't be entirely honest with him since I can't say anything about the pack, I try really hard in every other way."

She was looking down at her fingers as she twisted them nervously again. Paul put his larger, darker, warmer hand over them to still them. Bella looked up in question. "Let's go," was all he said before hoisting her backpack and his over his shoulder.

"Paul?" Bella whispered as he started to walk out the back door. "You really are the one I like best. My favorite."

Paul froze. His back to her. Oh, no. Had she said the wrong thing? Bella was suddenly afraid that she'd just ruined everything.

"I'm your favorite what?" Paul asked suspiciously.

Bella breathed nervously. "Um, my favorite wolf. My favorite human, most days. My favorite study buddy. My favorite hot guy….both literally and figuratively. Just my favorite," she shrugged. "But it's okay, if you don't feel like that. I just wanted you to know since you weren't sure this morning. Just like I don't want my Dad to wonder how I feel, I don't want you to have to wonder either."

"You're something else, Swan," Paul said, shaking his head. "Don't you have any sense of self-preservation?"

"I don't know what you mean…" but before she could finish the thought, Paul had dropped their bookbags with a thud and gathered her up in his arms again in a giant hug.

"You're my favorite human, too," he whispered into her hair. He smiled as she squeezed him tighter.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Bella had listened to the arguing long enough. "Sam?" she said as he and Paul and Jake were all yelling at one another. "SAM?!" she finally yelled.

All three men whipped their heads in her direction.

"What is it, Bella?" he asked brusquely, but not unkindly.

"Use _me_ ," she said.

"Huh?" Jake asked in confusion.

"Alice said they're coming. And they're not going to care who or what they kill. Let's control the situation. Use me."

"The fu-" Jake started.

"No," Paul interrupted. "Let her talk."

"How do you think we should use you, Bella?" Sam asked with his forehead crinkling in concentration.

"I'm told my blood smells really tasty to all of them. Hell, it was probably Edward's main attraction to me, if I'm being honest." She heard growls at that.

"Shut up, you guys. You all like her smell, too," Leah barked, which earned snickers from the rest of the pack.

Bella didn't want to even think about that. She'd put that away for another day. She shook it off and continued.

"I just mean I could leave a blood trail. Hell, you could tie me up in the middle of a field far away from everyone. The new vamps don't know about you. If I'm in a field and they advance, I don't think they'll even think about it. They'll run at me without noticing you guys in the forest line."

"Bella, no!" Jake protested.

"It's too dangerous," Sam huffed.

The other wolves mumbled and argued with one another until Paul, who had been looking at her since her declaration, finally spoke. "I think she has a point. It's some solid strategy that would probably minimize loss of civilian life."

Bella gazed at him and quietly nodded.

And there it was again. Paul knew her. He still didn't understand everything about her. Like why Bella Swan thought her life wasn't worth much. She was living now. And mostly making the best of things, as far as he could tell. But he was again struck by how little care she took for whether she lived or died. It was like she was missing that piece of human instinct. Maybe that's why she'd been so easily drawn in by the bloodsuckers in the first place. Or had that come after?

In this case, though, it was a ballsy strategy and he was pretty sure she was right. The others kept arguing. Telling her it was too dangerous. But some instinct told him she needed this. This was atonement for her, too. Just like those notes to Charlie. Paul turned his attention back to his Alpha when Sam stopped arguing.

"The Cold Ones want to meet with us on neutral territory. Have a meeting to hash things out. We have a translation problem, though. I don't think I can be near them without being phased. Anyone else?"

Nods and murmurs and shivers seemed to indicate that meeting in human form was not ideal.

"E-...Edward can translate," Bella said quietly and Paul wanted to punch something when she saw her arms fold around her body as she spoke about _him._ "He reads minds. As long as your thoughts are human? I guess? I mean...your thoughts are human when you're phased, right?"

"Sorta," Jake answered. "It's like smells and sounds are turned WAY up in our senses. So those get more priority than when we're human. But other than that, yeah."

"That must've sucked having a boyfriend who could read your mind," Leah drawled, looking with a raised eyebrow at Sam as she did.

The wolves were all silent, but Bella actually snorted. "Ah, no. Unlike your problem, I'm the exception. He can read everyone except for me."

"Woah," Quil said. "So your super power is that mind reading vampires can't read you?"

"Well…," Bella said, "Actually, any of the vamps who have special powers can't seem to get into my mind."

"Bella," Sam said seriously, "we need to know about these special powers they have. Everything."

She looked conflicted for a moment, but Paul smiled as she got a determined look on her face and purposefully put her arms at her sides. "Yeah. You do. Gather 'round, friends, for story time with Bella."

Damn, he was proud of her in that moment.

The meeting with the Cullens was set for the following night. When Sam ordered Bella to stay on the reservation until the meeting, she arched her eyebrow and crossed her arms, starting at him until he backed off and asked her nicely. Paul and his wolf both found that very, very hot.

"C'mon, Bells! You can come sleep at my house. You know your Dad won't mind that," Jake offered.

"Same goes for us," Leah said.

Bella looked at Paul who was suddenly not looking at her.

"Thanks, guys. Sam, can I use your phone?" Bella asked. Cell reception on the rez was spotty, but she wanted to call her Dad. They all pretended not to hear her conversation with him as she explained that she was going to spend the next 2 nights out here with Jake and Billy while she helped everyone study for finals. She then called out of work with promises to work doubles the week after her finals when the high school kids were still in school and tourists were starting to come in more.

Paul wasn't sure what to do. He could feel his temper rising at the thought of her sleeping at Jake's. And then rising again because he was being stupid. She didn't belong to him. Shit, his wolf was clawing to come out. He was just about to head out to patrol for something to do, when Bella touched his arm.

"C'mon, Paul. We still have studying and homework to finish tonight. Let's go back to your house and finish up. Jake? I'll be over as soon as I'm done at Paul's."

She wanted to come to his house? The wolf was suddenly more interested in this. And Paul felt better, too.

"You'll walk her over?" Sam asked/told Paul.

"Of course I will!" Paul growled.

"Good. Then I'll expect to have you on patrol afterwards," Sam nodded as if it was already decided.

Before anyone could argue, Paul felt Bella's hand in his. "Let's go, please?" she whispered.

Paul nodded, grabbed their respective backpacks, and headed out the door.

"Thank you," she said when they got to her truck. "I was ready to be done with strategizing for tonight. It's just...when you spend a long time trying to stop thinking about things and then they land in your lap again, it's just a lot…"

"You did a good job tonight, though. I wouldn't have pegged you as a military type, but your instincts were legit, Swan," Paul said.

She chuckled. "Thanks for backing me up in there. I thought Jake was about to lock me in a tower!"

"I've seen his thoughts. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing he's thought to do with you!"

"Gah! Gross!" Bella said, scrunching her face up. "Stop talking immediately. I don't even want to know!"

It was Paul's turn to chuckle as she pulled the truck in front of his house. His wolf was practically purring with anticipation of having her in his house.


End file.
